Chapter 124 Calm Before The Storm 6 (1/2)

Zero moaned as he tore out another chunk of meat from the juicy mountain goat thigh. If Freya was here, Zero would never have the chance to enjoy an expertly prepared spit-roast with his bare hands.The brunet got to know Douglas a little better over the dinner. Douglas was a half-Selkie and Zero wondered if they were descendants of Sedna.

The man was devastatingly handsome with his sea blue eyes and dark hair. His teeth were pearly white and the only indication that he wasn't human was how he had both webbed fingers and toes. Douglas had a rich baritone voice that was comforting to listen to although Zero had to fight the waves of sleepiness when he listened. It wasn't until Coux dispelled the charm magic Douglas was using on him that Zero understood what was going on.

”I'm sorry, kid. It was just so much fun seeing you try to stay awake,” Douglas apologised after Coux kicked him in the shin.

Zero was amused. ”That's going to bruise...”

Douglas grimaced and looked at his shin. True enough, it was starting to turn an ugly shade of black.

”Sorry, doctor. Could you help heal this?”

Coux shot the half-Selkie a glare and turned to Zero quickly.

”Don't worry, sweetie. It won't kill him to have a broken leg or two.”

Zero pretended to consider the trader's words until Douglas begged for forgiveness. Everyone present watched in amusement at how playful the brunet could be. Vrald and Gerald cheered for Zero when the brunet denied the Selkie the first time. Douglas looked almost ready to cry so Zero gave in and healed the ouchie. He didn't heal with Selkie's broken heart until the man promised never to do it again.

”Ok, I'll forgive you,” Zero finally relented, looking as if he was making the toughest decision in his life when he said so. ”On one condition.”

Douglas agreed without hesitation. ”Answer me honestly, are you related to Sedna?”

The half- Selkie blinked and grinned, dusting the dirt from his pants as he got up from the ground.

”Legend has it that all Selkies were born from Sedna's grief. I suppose we're related in a way. Sedna is our creator and the mother of all life we know.”

Zero wasn't too surprised. However, he was curious. ”Does that mean you have a fish's tail too?”

Douglas shook his head. ”Not fish, those would be our cousin species the merfolks. Selkies are seals with the ability to transform into humans by shedding their skin on dry land. I'm only a half-Selkie so I have webbed hands and feet. However, I can swim really fast underwater and breathe in it like Jacqueline.”

”That magic... can merfolk use it too?”

Douglas grinned. ”You bet they can. What I used was a kind of low-tiered charm magic so it isn't very powerful. Coux is better at charm magic than I am. Hypnosis is a very powerful ability.”

Zero nodded and ate as he listened to Coux explain what charm magic was.

”In fact, I think you have some sort of charm magic around you too, Zero.” The half-succubus smiled.

Burping loudly and apologising for his rude behaviour, Zero blinked. ”I have charm magic? But I haven't learnt how to use that yet...”

Coux tilted her head to a side with a small frown. ”I wouldn't say that it is a magic that needs to be learnt. It's almost as if it's in your latent bloodline. Just like how some species always have a passive magical ability like the Cockatrice with its deadly eyes, you have charm magic around you that is always active. I just can't identify what it is as I've never come across such a thing.”

Zero was lost. What could Coux possibly mean? ”Mii, do you have any ideas?” he asked silently.

Mii brought up Zero's status screen and the brunet tried very hard not to look suspicious as he read the details of his current status.

Name: Zero (previously known as Great One)

Species: Unknown.

Age: Unknown.

Titles: Creator of the World, Voice in the Void, Hua Tuo's Apprentice, Friends with Gods, Demon Lord Baal's Friend

Abilities:

- Absorption

- Energy manipulation

Absorbed Abilities:

- Grapple Vine

- Intuition

Blessings:

[Mind's Eye (Mii)]

- Encyclopaedia / Appraisal

- Party Map

- Party Call

- Avatar Materialisation

[Wisdom (Passive) by Buddha]

- Can understand all languages including plants and animals

- Able to learn things at a very fast pace

[Karma by Hades]

- Will reflect back any damage intended to be inflicted on Zero to the attacker

[One-Hit Kill by Zeus]

- Can create a miracle during desperate times in a battle

[Charmer by Freya]

- Make any strong-willed being an ally when skill is active, does not work on weak-willed beings

[Adaptation by Sedna]